Blackwater looked poised to pull off a gigantic upset against Ginebra, but Japeth Aguilar had other things in mind, nauling the game-winning jumper in their PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup match.
In a conference where wins are scarce, learnings are aplenty.
This was how Blackwater coach Jeff Cariaso summed up the week that saw the Bossing fight tooth and nail against league juggernauts Meralco, Ginebra, and San Miguel in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
Cariaso couldn’t stress enough the daunting challenge of playing the said perennial contenders in a matter of five days.
“Playing three games in five days isn’t something our team is accustomed to. That kind of schedule is expected in the semifinals or Finals, but encountering it during the elimination round is rare,” said Cariaso, whose team is coming off a 78-115 loss to the Beermen on Sunday, May 25.
But make no mistake about it, the member of the league’s 50 Greatest Players list isn’t making any excuses.
“Still, that was the hand we were dealt. And we embraced it as an opportunity to grow and prepare for the level we’re aiming to reach," Cariaso added.
Indeed, there’s things to gain amid the five-game losing skid for Blackwater (1-7).
The Bossing can cling to positives, especially after their match against Ginebra where they refused to be bossed around and showed what they can do when stars align for them.
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With RK Ilagan, Sedrick Barefield, and Christian David leading the charge, Blackwater pushed the Gin Kings to the edge and made them bleed for the victory at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
“Our win last week wasn’t in the scoreboard. It was in the way we mentally engaged with each game plan,” Cariaso said, whose team lost after Japeth Aguilar’s game-winning jumper at the buzzer.
“In how we pushed ourselves to recover quickly. In how we rose to meet the unique challenges each opponent brought.”
While a playoff berth looking bleak, Cariaso is confident his squad is on the right path.
“The results may not have gone our way, but what we gained in insight, resilience, and awareness of the consistency needed to compete at this level — that was the true victory,” he said.
“We now understand more what it takes to succeed: complete focus, detail, readiness, and most importantly, doing it all together.”